Moisture condensing or freezing in a pressure sensor can lead to erroneous pressure signals or damage to the sensor. Pressure sensors in turbomachine engines such as a turbofan engine on an aircraft are particularly vulnerable to moisture accumulation. Engine control systems for a turbomachine rely on pressure signals taken from high pressure aspects of the turbomachine for critical operations such as thrust control. These pressure sources may contain a significant amount of moisture vapor under pressure which may cool and condense inside of a pressure sensor. Moreover, turbomachine engines often operate under atmospheric conditions in which moisture in a pressure sensor is susceptible to freezing. This condensation or ice within a pressure sensor may plug a pressure port or pressure supply line, or may interact with a diaphragm or other component of the pressure sensor, inhibiting the pressure sensor from accurately sensing pressure changes. An erroneous pressure signal or a failed pressure sensor can result in an inability to start the turbomachine engine or a loss of thrust control during operation, among other issues. These issues can be the cause of costly delays and potential safety concerns.
Efforts have been made to remove moisture from a pressure sensor and to reduce the tendency for condensation to freeze in a pressure sensor or supply line. For example, there are pressure sensing systems that include a weep hole that allows condensation to escape, and there are also pressure sensing systems that have a heater to prevent condensation from freezing. Nevertheless, condensing or freezing moisture in pressure sensor systems remains a concern, particularly for turbomachine powered aircraft and other applications with turbomachines operating in a sub-freezing atmosphere. Accordingly, there exists a need for improved pressure sensing devices, systems and methods that alleviate interference from moisture which may condense or freeze in a pressure port or pressure sensor supply line.